His rise was swift and somewhat unexpected: overnight, it seemed, the lowly plumber had been elevated from the man with soaring fees and sagging pants to an emblem of the American working class.

Vinnie DiRoma, 48, a plumber for 17 years for the George Breslaw & Sons plumbing company, working on the West Side.

To Senators John McCain and Barack Obama, who studded their discussions at Wednesday night’s presidential debate with fawning references to “Joe the Plumber,” the once-derided tradesman was a classic hands-on hero, a celebrated common man, the sort of guy who puts the “I can” back into American.

But to plumbers around New York, the quick ascent seemed a good deal more complex. Granted, they said, the political machine had seized them as a symbol. But of what?

You can still find “the chubby guy with the cigar,” said Gil Perez, a Staten Island plumber who holds a law degree, “but it’s really not like that anymore. Plumbers today are businessmen. Some are metrosexuals. Especially in New York City, they’re not what you think.”

What many people think — at least according to the old cliché — is that your average plumber is essentially a schlub. He spends his days beneath your sink or peering into the clogged bowl of your toilet. His work is dirty; his fingernails are rough.

He is not — traditionally speaking — the sort of man to make an offhand reference to the black-tie affair he recently attended at the New York Public Library, as did Richard Breslaw of the George Breslaw & Sons plumbing company in Manhattan. Mr. Breslaw recounted how he charmed a young woman at the function by referring to his job as “the first thing you think about when you wake up.”

Long the object of putdowns and distasteful humor — Mr. Breslaw cited the classic “If you don’t go to high school, guess what you become?” — plumbers are, in many cases, exceedingly well paid. Mr. Breslaw said that one of his top men “clears two, maybe two-and-a-quarter” every year. He even paraphrased Einstein: “If I had my life to live over again, I’d be a plumber.”

It’s probably fair to say that plumbers like this are not what the candidates had in mind. Indeed, when Sarah Palin, Mr. McCain’s running mate, said on Thursday that she wanted to cut taxes because “we think like Joe or Jane the Plumber,” she was referring to a certain version.

One, perhaps, like Anthony Caiazzo, a Brooklyn plumber so well versed in politics that, completely unbidden, he answered a reporter’s call by saying, “Joe the Plumber here.” Mr. Caiazzo is somewhere in the middle of his field: “a blue-collar guy,” he said, who happens to have a 4,000-square-foot office, where on occasion he has been known to appear in a suit and tie.

As for big-picture politics, the national plumbers’ union has endorsed Senator Obama, saying he “has always fought for working people throughout his career.” George W. Reilly, business manager of the New York local, was reached by cellphone Thursday morning and said that in the industry, Joe the Plumber was all the rage.

“We’re not unhappy with the situation,” said Mr. Reilly, who was at a plumbers’ conference in Cooperstown, N.Y. “Raising public recognition of a trade that’s been around for thousands of years is pretty interesting.”

Of course, it’s possible that today’s Joe the Plumber will end up like yesterday’s Wal-Mart Dad or the day before that’s Soccer Mom — a symbol that seemed prescient at the moment it was coined, but grew to tire over time. In fact, the real Joe the Plumber, Samuel J. Wurzelbacher of Ohio, has already had his taxes and apparent lack of a license examined by the news media — the other side of fame.

At least for the moment, though, his less illustrious colleagues seemed to be basking in a tardy glow of celebration.

“I take it as a compliment,” Mr. Caiazzo said. “Joe the Plumber is blue collar — we’re blue collar. We might own the business, but realistically most of us came up in the trenches.”

“Being Joe the Plumber,” he went on, “I’m O.K. with that.”

Personally, while it does shed light on one of many jobs out there that doesn’t get the recognition it deserves, I still think its pathetic that someone so hardworking is being used as a politcal ploy…its all because Palin decided to use the phrase “we think like Joe or Jane the Plumber” …

(They found Joe so where’s Jane? lol)

McCain and Palin obviously don’t think like the Middle Class…I’m sure that Sarah Palin has had to struggle to put food on the table to feed her kids…I’m sure that she’s done things she’s not proud of just to get by…and ofcourse I’m sure on her nice big government salary that she’s had to go to thrift stores to find clothes, gone to walmart for school supplies etc…yep Sarah Palin is the perfect poster girl for poverty and the common man….*rolls eyes*

Only a few more weeks of this gong show left folks…Hopefully America will choose the right Canidate 🙂

Layla Ciptak thought she and her husband had settled on the name “Ava Grace Ciptak” for their baby daughter, but Mark Ciptak had an entirely different idea, now their baby daughter’s birth certificate reads: “Sarah McCain Palin Ciptak” The Republican supporter wanted “to get the word out” about John McCain and Sarah Palin and encourage people to vote for them. “I took one for the cause,” he said. An American Red Cross employee, Mr Ciptak told the Kingsport Times-News that he had limited cash to donate to the McCain-Palin campaign and the baby naming was a “little token” instead. “It’s something that I did to help out the campaign and the cause.”

At first, he chickened out of telling his wife. “As of right now, I’m just trying to get up enough nerve to tell her what I’ve done and hope for the best. I hope I’m still living to tell the tale tomorrow. She thought it was a done deal with Ava Grace, Only some friends and family members who I have called for prayer support know at this point.” He did tell her later. “I don’t think she believes me yet. It’s going to take some more convincing” and then added “I do have a sign up in my yard, but I can do very little. Is this going to change the course of the election? I doubt it.”

I Can’t believe this Election…could there be anymore Hype? its so sad that John McCain is going to win, and you want to know how? Probally not even by actual vote…I was watching CNN this morning and it turns out that there are alot of vote count issue’s in atleast half of the american states…everything from audit procedures to electronic vote count errors, and Election officials have known about this since 2000…

Sarah Palin action figure’s, movie and now a namesake…what’s next?

Please please please Americans, vote for Obama, atleast try to change your future. I know Canada is stuck with the same policy for the next 4 years (Stephan Harper Relected *rolls eyes*) doesnt mean you have to be…

This is the FIRST EVER OFFICIAL ELECTION DANCE OFF to determine the age old question: who are the better dancers, the REPUBLICANS or the DEMOCRATS…or as we like to call them,THE OBAMANATORS VS THE MCCAINIACS.Choose your party, support your candidate and upload your own crazy dance video to our voting website here: http://www.ibeatyou.com/event/americas_dance_party
All the videos on both sides will be voted on by viewers and the side that has the most support by November 4th 2008 (The day of the actual Elections) gets the title of AMERICA’S OFFICIAL DANCE PARTY…and bragging rights for the next four years. And two million dollars…okay not really. But bragging rights for sure.

Also don’t forget to REGISTER TO VOTE for the Presidential Elections. Let your voice be heard!

I think this is a brilliant way to get young people into voting, I mean, Who doesn’t like dance 😉

Micheal Moore, the filmmaker behind Fahrenheit 9/11, Bowling For Columbine, Sicko and More…Has Just released his Newest Film, Slacker Uprising. It will be available for three weeks as a free download to North American residents, beginning Today (September 23rd) Eventually, it will hit DVD. The article I read said that the movie cost 2 million to produce (1 million of which came directly out of Moore’s pocket).

“Slacker Uprising” Synopsis

The film follows Moore’s 62-city tour during the 2004 election to rally young voters.
Moore is quoted as saying “I thought it’d be a nice way to celebrate my 20th year of doing this” he went on to say ”And also help get out the vote for November. I’ve been thinking about what I want to do to help with the election this year.”

His last election year movie was the Bush-critical Fahrenheit 9/11. Moore is hoping that this movie will help encourage young American voters to go to the polls this November….a number that rose 11% during the last election. It’s also worth noting that He and the producer of the film have no interest in recouping the money for this film.

Sarah Palin action figures are now out in toy stores and online, joining dolls in the likeness of other political Figures like Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, John McCain and John Edwards and More..

For your veiwing Pleasure *snerk*

The schoolgirl version sells for $29.95; the buttoned-up action figure dressed in a business suit is listed at $27.95, and the gun-toting super hero action figure is on sale for $29.95.HeroBuilders.com sells these Sarah Palin dolls if your intrested, if your not, keep reading 😉 😛

Disclaimer: Rant ahead…

I can’t believe this…Sarah Palin is such a peice of hype! She hasnt done anything notable enough to be a Action Figure, hasnt done anything amazing….(This is Lame)….*grumble* This is exactly what I was talking about in my Sarah Palin Rant Post (click the Link if your Intrested) I can’t believe people actually would buy this…that someone took the time to make one! I get the feeling that someone’s a little to sure that she’s gonna be around awhile…this is sad…were gonna have to listen to all this “futurement of society” “change in the government” “finally a african american president” “things will get better” propaganda, and then guess what, Nothing will change. McCain is going to be the Next American President…were all gonna be so screwed!

McCain will be a war monger like Bush with actual military experience to boot! He’s actually been in War zones and been hurt by them, thus has alot more to go after! I feel like he could have a personal vendetta….Nevermind with a quarter of American oil production now flooded due to Hurricane Ike, The situation in Iraq and the cost of gas already on the rise, gas and every single thing we buy will be more expensive 😦 Minimum wage won’t go up, tax break’s won’t change. I remember 5 years ago paying $1 canadian for a loaf of wonderbread (which if you live in North America you know is nummy bread) and now just today, I paid $3….The Banks wonder why so many people are in debt, why were in a reccession?

And yet money’s being wasted on a war we can’t win and Action Figures that are Pathetic..

I was avoiding this…For awhile I was following the American Election…I am Canadian but I know how much American Politics affect Canada (nvm the rest of the world) but I really didn’t want to pay attention after I was annoyed by it….I had hoped for HIlary Clinton (and yet most definatly I am still ok w/Barack Obama as he’s not a George Bush Clone) to remain on the ticket but alas its not her time (She has quite a few good idea’s that would make things better for everyone)…I figured it was because America wasn’t ready for a women..maybe a African American Man but not a Women but then John McCain pulled a wildcard…Sarah Palin…Who so happens to be a very intense women. She’s a strong political crusading christian, anti-abortionist (even in cases of rape and insest) and a Oil drilling in Alaska supporter..I could go on…either way..John McCain sure picked a good strategy, get the Hilary supporters! *rolls eyes*

This first Video is her saying that the war in Iraq is God’s Plan….

Matt Damon’s Opinion (Cant believe I’m using his opinion but he’s got a very good point…No one wants President Palin…)

Best for Last, BamBamKaboosh#3 – Sarah Palin Song! (I Picked a Girl!)

The saddest part of all, all this hype and attention that is being generated is what’s getting Sarah Palin’s name out there…its what might help McCain win most of all…

(^%$ &$ # @^&*#!) *ahem*

If any American’s are reading this…Please, for love of whatever you hold dearest, don’t vote for McCain!